The France international came under fire for his goalless start at Arsenal following his summer arrival from Montpellier, but he prepares to face his old club in the Champions League on Wednesday having netted five times in his last five games.

Explaining why Giroud took time to adapt, Wenger said: “There are many factors.

“The first one is that I believe physically he worked very hard when he arrived here. The intensity of the games took a lot out of him.

“The second problem was a bit [to do with an] understanding with his partners.

“The third problem was level of confidence. When you come to a club like Arsenal, you’re surrounded by big names.

“It takes you a while to think ‘OK I belong in this world’ and he has shown that on that level he has gained a lot.”

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